It is a benefit to institutional and public facilities to reduce the maintenance required to ensure that a sufficient supply of rolled materials such as, for example, paper towels and toilet tissue is provided within that facility's rest room. Many manufacturers of tissue produce "jumbo" rolls which hold significantly more tissue than traditional rolls. These jumbo rolls are typically eight to thirteen inches in diameter while traditional rolls are typically four to five inches in diameter. While traditional rolls are frequently mounted to a wall so that their axis of rotation is parallel to the wall, the large diameter of jumbo rolls may require that such rolls are mounted to the wall with their axis of rotation is perpendicular to the wall. Dispensers for these jumbo rolls are likewise significantly larger than dispensers for traditional rolls, and may be configured so that the tissue is dispensed from a lower opening in the dispenser. One of the lower edges of the dispenser may be sharp or serrated, thus enabling a user to pull the tissue against this edge and tear a selected amount of tissue from the roll.
A disadvantage of these jumbo dispensers is that it may be difficult for a user to withdraw tissue from the roll, especially if a new jumbo roll is being dispensed as full and nearly-full jumbo rolls may be heavy and require that a significant pulling force be applied to the end of the rolled material. In some instances, the pulling force applied to the end of the rolled material does not force the jumbo roll to rotate, but rather merely tears off an insufficient amount of the rolled material.
On occasion, the end of the rolled material does not extend out of the dispenser or may not be visible to a user. In some instances, this may occur because the force applied to the end of the rolled material causes it to tear within or snap back into the dispenser. The user then must extend a hand up into the dispenser to locate the end of the rolled material. When doing so, the user may be scratched on the sharp or serrated edge of the dispenser. Additionally, some users may not be able to reach far enough into the dispenser to grasp the torn end of the rolled material.
It may also be desirable for a dispenser to be able to dispense a partially-used roll, sometimes referred to as a "stub" roll, at the same time that a new jumbo roll is being dispensed. This enables a partially-dispensed or "stub" roll to be utilized fully while permitting maintenance personnel to change rolls on a regular maintenance schedule rather than requiring that they return precisely when the roll has been fully dispensed. The ability to utilize partially dispensed rolls is important as it enables a partially dispensed roll to be replaced with a full roll of material without wasting the "stub" roll. Thus, it is not necessary to wait until the roll of material is fully used before a new, full roll of material may be placed within the dispenser. This reduces or eliminates extra trips to the facility by maintenance personnel to determine if a roll has been fully used and may be replaced.
Thus, a dispenser is needed which dispenses a jumbo roll of material and assists in retaining the end of the rolled material in a position so that it may be easily grasped by a user. Additionally, a dispenser is needed which enables a stub roll and a full roll to be dispensed at the same time, thus reducing and simplifying the maintenance required by the dispenser.